The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-04-16

Points of Interest on the Patapsco--Seen
and Described by Lady.-A resident OF
Shippensburg, Pa, lately paid visit to Ellicott
City and in letter written to paper in her
town, gives some interesting facts in connection
with that place as we'll as of points along the B.
0. She says: "The train soon brought us to
Thistle Factory where the manufacture of musns
and cotton goods has been carried on for more than
one hundred years. These mills were once owned
by two Scotch gentlemen-George and William
Morris-men of wealth, education, piety and
two hundred feet high, one house located in a
straight line above the other, each having Guilt
waited lawns. These houses are occupied by the
workmen, and are we'll kept, much taste and neat
ness being exhibited, and although very old, are
we'll preserved. The hills on which this village
is built is terraced in many places, with five and
six flights of granite stone steps down to their
bases. In some places these hills are covered
with pine trees, and in others they solid rock,
broken and jagged in fantastic shapes, which give
a most charming variety to the scene.
"a little further up the stream stands Gray's
Factory, an immense stone structure owned by
two maiden ladies of wealth This mill has not
been running for about five years, no one caring
to invest or undertake the management of it. 1t
is due to the overseer of this factory to mention
his careful supervisor of this valuable property.
The lawns and fencing are in excellent condition.
This gentleman occupies the mansion close by,
and it is temple of beauty. Its green grass ana
fresh made flower beds awakened us suddenly to
the the knowledge that we were In the Spring
season.
zone mile farther is Ellicott City, our resting
place. Charming had been the ride to Ellicott
City, but it certainly was enhanced when we left
the train. The beautiful hills, towering above us
and the Patapsco's rocky bed at their base, cap
tvated u.s. and we hesitated proceed, as we stood
on the bridge few moments till we silently drank
in new scenes Immediately before US. The seeth-
ing rivers deafening roar, with the stone bridge
and all the buildings of beautiful stone masonry
were uncommon to us, hedged on both sides OF the
river by miniature mountains, was picture strong
forcible, and impressive. 1t seemed to us as
though the earth had separated and the river mad
forced itself through, and nature alone had devel-
oped this spot into one of unusual beauty ELL
colt CITY, in the business portion of the town, is
compactly built. This town is considerably over
one bundled years old. The buildings OF this
quaint place are chiefly of granite, from the ia
nous auarries only a stones throw from the town.
Many of the houses are three stories high, with
double balconies on second and third floors, and
others with long verandas supported by heavy
columns of stone. These houses, in their day,
were models of beauty and luxury, with wide halls
and stairways and immense apartments, which
evinces to the present generation the refined and
cultured taste Of its inhabitants. Dotted all over
the hills surrounding the town, are palatial resi-
dences, with parks and terraced lawns THESE
exclusive homes give prestige to the natural beau
ties environing Elcott City,"